87% Graffiti
Reduction

Cameras stay secret

CARDINIA Shire Council has assured Cockatoo residents that there are
surveillance cameras operating across the shire.

This comes as the Mail reported in its front page story What Cameras?
last week that residents were calling for the shroud of secrecy
surrounding the proposed CCTV cameras to be revealed.

In September 2007 the Federal Government announced $445,770 for the
project.

But the council said the cash was not for CCTV cameras.

Shire spokesman Paul Dunlop said the funding was for the
implementation of a series of crime and graffiti prevention
initiatives.

This included an early intervention programs to target young people
aged 10–25 years across the shire with particular focus on the
townships of Cockatoo, Pakenham and Beaconsfield.

Mr Dunlop said the money was used to purchase mobile rapid
apprehension technology.

He said the cash was never intended for fixed CCTV cameras.

Mr Dunlop said the covert nature of the program meant the council was
unable to reveal the camera locations.

“Most residents would understand that if the location of these devises
were known, they would not be effective,” he said.

However, Mr Dunlop said equipment was being utilised in Cockatoo and
other townships across the shire with success in ‘hot spot’ locations.

According to the council an independent graffiti audit in June had
shown a 66 per cent reduction in graffiti across the shire and 87 per
cent reduction in Cockatoo over the past 12 months.

“Residents may not be able to see the technology in action but rest
assure it is being used and is having a benefit,” Mr Dunlop said.

The council has also attributed the success of the program in Cockatoo
to the close working relationship with local police and the township
group.

“The funds are being spent on the intended purpose and will be
externally audited on completion of the project in 2011,” Mr Dunlop
said. One trader, who didn’t want to be named, has questioned if the
surveillance technology would be able to apprehend offenders who broke
into his store on the weekend.

“Police should be able to do something about it then… be able to
apprehend them,” he said.

The front door of the man’s shop was smashed shortly after 4am on
Monday morning.

“By the time I got down stairs they were gone,” he said.

La Trobe MP Jason Wood is now calling for the council to show him the
covert camera locations so he can assure his constituents that they
are in place.